When one thinks of Africa, an image of a safari full of lions, zebras, and elephants- Oh My – comes to mind, however, there is more to Africa than just these animals. Cape Town, South Africa, is located directly between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Sea, which provides some absolutely breathtaking views. Cape Town is another diverse destination, so a minimum of two weeks would be necessary to truly get the full experience.
The opportunities are legitimately endless here, however, it is important to focus on the must-visits before I actually check the African capital off my list. As mentioned in my previous blog, I love sunsets, and thankfully Cape Town markets the optimal sunset-watching spots. The ideal watch spot is just five minutes outside of the city center at Signal Hill. This hill is well-known and well visited due to its stunning view over the town, bay, and the Atlantic Ocean as it is 350 meters above the town. This breathtaking view of a sunset would make the trip across the Atlantic worth it.
As previously mentioned, Cape Town is surrounded by Table Mountain and the Atlantic Sea, on the slopes of this mountain, there are many botanical gardens. The most popular is the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. This garden is one of the first botanical gardens in the world with a mission of preservation of indigenous flora. Ideally, I would visit Cape Town during the summertime as these gardens host many outdoor concerts overlooking the town and the glistening ocean.
As an animal lover, a trip to Cape Town can satisfy my animal fix with access to native penguins (which are actually one of my favorites) at Boulder’s Bay. Although the main attraction at Boulder’s Bay is the penguin breeding ground, this is also home to hundreds of species of birds, bucks baboons, and Cape zebra. But, I know what you’re wondering, “Leah wants to visit Africa but won’t even get to see stereotypical African animals”, and this is not true whatsoever. I previously mentioned Cape Town is not a safari, however, with a quick two-hour drive inland, one can get the full safari experience at Aquila Private Game Reserve which is home to lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and even Cape buffalos. So I will sacrifice my day(s) to get the full Reserve experience with an opportunity to camp outside with these animals.
In addition to the safari experience, Cape Town is a short car ride away from Hermanus which is a whale-watching hotspot. I have spent my whole life always wanting to go whale watching in order to partake in this breathtaking experience. A trip to Cape Town, South Africa can help me check many life bucket list tasks off. As a child, I absolutely adored the movie, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, so this will certainly satisfy a nostalgic aspect as well. I will probably save a destination like Cape Town for adulthood, however, I absolutely adore everything this destination has to offer and cannot wait to visit.